3 Easy but Adventurous Himalayan Treks for Beginners in India

• Duration – 4 days
• Length – 25km
• Difficulty – Easy
• Best time to visit – Mar-May, Sept-Dec
• Pickup Point – Rishikesh
• Base Camp – Sari
• USP – Perfect for birding, views of many high-altitude peaks and springtime trekking
• Route – Sari to Deoriatal to Chopta to Chandrashila to Chopta

An exciting trek in the Garhwal Himalayas with a view of the most magnificent peaks. During  this trek, you would be spellbound by its breathtaking beauty, the narrow and exciting passes along with the amazing views of the abundant forests and much more. 

Everything about it is appealing – the flora, Deoriatal (a startlingly attractive lake), the Tungnath temple (the highest Shiva shrine in the world at approximately 12,000 feet) and the Chandrashila peak (with a gorgeous trail to the summit), which offers views of many 22,000-ft-plus peaks and dozens of rare and interesting varieties of birds.

Chopta is a quaint hill station in the Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary popularly known as the ‘Mini Switzerland’ of India, thanks to its rolling green hills and lush meadows. The trek is more or less comfortable till Chopta, but Chandrashila (via Tungnath) is a bit steep and certainly requires some skill.

Kedarkantha – Perfect winter trekking experience for beginners 

• Duration – 5 Days
• Length – 18 Km
• Difficulty – Easy to Moderate
• Best time to visit – December to April
• Base Camp – Sankri
• USP – a trail that is completely covered with thick, pure white snow

It is the perfect winter trek for beginners. In Kedarkantha trek, you are bound to see some of the most beautiful campsites. One of the major attractions of this trek is the drive to Kedarkantha that takes you through Mussoorie, as it is a very popular & engaging tourist destination. This trek gives you the perfect winter trekking experience that you have been planning & waiting for.

You are likely to come across snow just as you cross the 10,000 ft mark and walk through a snow bed with full of pine trees. Along the trek, you will find some of the most beautiful campsites. The Kedarkantha trek lets you camp at Juda-ka-Talab, one of the prettiest campsites around, set alongside a small pond amidst oak and pine forests. At 12,500 feet, the summit offers stunning 360-degree views of some of the highest Himalayan peaks like Bandarpoonch, Swargarohini, and Black Pearl. 

As one ascends through the valleys of the Tons river and the Govind National Park, the trek offers breathtaking views of the entire valley during winters as the place remains wrapped in snow. The best time to visit is between December and March, when the landscape turns from beautiful to spectacular.

Here is the link to Sambit’s detailed article on his kedarkantha trek.